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Glossary of Terms
A Aberrant Adepts = Members of the Lost Orders. Accedia = If an Adept moves away from God, this is called Accedia. In this state they will no longer advance in their Degrees or other powers. If Accedia continues to the point where they have a falling out with God, then the Adept will become one of the Fallen. Adepts = Any being with a soul who has experienced God in a powerful and spiritual way and now has one of God's Attributes imprinted on their soul, granting them access to divine mysteries. Affiliate = An Affiliate is a trusted ally of an Order or Chapter who is often allowed entry into Order-only meetings and places. Affiliates are often allowed to enter an Order's Chantries. They may not have full access to all the Chantry, but they are afforded some level of trust. Becoming an Affiliate means being a part of an affiliated group or being properly vetted. Antinomian = Antinomian is a term for people who believe that laws or rules always prove inefficient when applied to real life. Antinomians emphasize principles and putting a person's reason and sense of discernment as the real moral guide for life. For an Antinomian, it's not so much what someone did so much as why they did it. Antinomainism has been given other definitions as well, and is often associated with extremist groups. Antinomians often reject current standards of morality as backwards or draconic. Because of this, the term is often associated with the Heretical Orders. Apolitical = A political position within the Established Orders of Adepts. Apoliticals are not Moderates, although sometimes their behavior leads people to assume that. Apoliticals fundamentally believe that political labels cause people not to listen to what the person is actually saying, but instead what the person thinks they are saying. Thus, Apoliticals actively work not to allow others to label them, even going so far as to word their answers in vague and shrouded terms, the better to force people to really stop and think about what they are saying. Arcane Orders = The defining characteristic of the Arcane Orders is that their powers are knowledge-based. That is, the Adepts of the Order increase their ability to use their powers with the accumulation of knowledge. The Orders of Scribes & Witches are held as being the premiere members of the Arcane Orders because they search high and low for new knowledge, often crossing cultural and Tribal boundaries as they do so. The Orders Arcane are the Aton, Creators, Gnostics, Healers, Heretics, Immortals, Infinity, Librarians, Pagans, Resurrectionists, and Witches. B Blooding = To face the forces of the Darkness is to stare in the face of horror, death and the unknown. To do this, an Adept must develop his personal strength and mettle by being Blooded. Blooding is an act, usually a terrifying or stressful one, that flips the switch on an Adept's maturity and transforms them from a naive and nervous neophyte into a mature and determined warrior for the Light. Brother / Sister = Adepts usually refer to fellow Adepts with the term brother or sister. This is not a uniform tradition, but some Orders cultivate such practices in order to instill camaraderie in their members. It has fallen out of favor in modern times. Also, women Adepts are increasingly referring to themselves as 'Brother' instead of Sister, believing that all Adepts within an Order should have the same, communal Title. C Call, The Call = Many Adepts, when describing their major encounter with God, report 'hearing' or sensing that God was calling them to do or become something. Thus, most Adepts refer to becoming an Adept and picking up the cause against the Darkness as 'the Call' or 'answering the Call.' Celestials = Celestials is a catch-all-term for Supernaturals whose nature or power originates from Heaven. Chapter = An organization of Adepts, usually possessing some martial capacity. Chapters come in a variety of forms, with all sorts of organization and assets. Christian Orders = These are the Orders whose recruitment takes place entirely (mostly) within the Judeo-Christian tradition because those Aspects are so peculiar to those Tribes. They are the Evangelists, Fundamentalists, and Ghosts. To be fair, the Fundamentalists aren't a full 'Christian' Order since some of them come from other Tribes. However, because a majority of today's Christians are from fundamentalist Tribes, the Order itself is counted as one of the Christian Orders. Citizens of Paradise = A euphemism for the Adepts. Conservative = A political position within the Established Orders of Adepts, this position advocates traditional and historical values either in certain situations or in an overall sense. Conservative is the opposite of Liberal. Conversion = It is possible, but rare, for an Adept to switch completely from one Order to another. To do so must involve a life-altering experience wherein an Adept encounters God in a powerful way and has a second Attribute imprinted on their soul. Apparently this second Attribute either replaces the first or becomes their 'standard' Attribute? D Darkness, The Darkness = A catch-all-term for the forces of sin, death and evil. Anyone who is evil is an agent of the Darkness. A more popular euphemism for agents of the Darkness is simply 'the Bad Guys.' Dark Objects = Items imbued with Magick, the opposite of a Holy Relic. Degrees = A Degree is a hypothetical "power level" an Adept has in relation to how far he can manifest the power of the Attribute of God imprinted on his or her soul. With time comes experience in how to better channel one's nature, allowing the Adept to manifest greater and greater powers. Discipline Arcani = The tradition among the Adepts that no one will reveal the Supernaturals to the secular world at large. The Discipline Arcani is also the Aspect of God that creates the Order of Enforcers. E Ecclesiastical Orders = These Orders are the 'Church Orders,' the ones most responsible for helping the daily operations of keeping the various Tribes running. They can also be thought of as the opposite of the Natural Orders, since these Orders are dependent on established religions for new members. Ecclesiastics / Ecclesiasticals = Two different terms for members of the Ecclesiastical Orders. Established Orders of Adepts = Each Order of Adepts is based on a single Attribute of God. Because God is infinite, He has an infinite number of Attributes. However, humanity has only encountered a consistent number of God's Attributes, and these Attributes and their corresponding Orders are labelled the Established Orders of Adepts. Stories are told of encounters with "Unorthodox Adepts," that is Adepts who have encountered God under an Aspect not listed with the Established Orders. Epiphany = The name for an intense spiritual encounter with God. Epiphanies are what creates Adepts in the first place. Exemplary Adepts = Adepts who have developed specific powers separate from their mainstream brethren within their Order. This usually occurs because of a significant shift in spirituality among a subgroup within the Order. Exemplary Adepts are also theologically significant because they prove that God doesn't just roll Adepts off the proverbial assembly line: every Adept God makes is a custom job. F Faction = A special interest group operating within an Order. Adepts can only have one Order, but they can join multiple Factions. Freelancer = An Adept who chooses to operate outside of any Chapter. G God = God is the Supreme Being and Creator of all things. He is the cause of all Adept Orders, with the Order of Infinity belonging to Him uniquely. H Heretical Orders = These Orders oppose the established religious system, which in practical terms means they oppose the Ecclesiastical Orders. Some Heretical Orders seek reform or change, others wish to see organized religion torn down. The Heretical Orders are the Fallen, Gnostics, Heretics (obviously), Marauders, Pagans, Scourges, Serpents, Skeptics, and Waywards. The Orders of Courtesans, Creators and Infinity have also frequently been listed as one of the Heretical Orders thanks to some of the more extremist elements within them. Hero of the Order = A prestigious and honorary Title awarded to Adepts who have achieved great acts of valor and heroism. Holy Relics = Items imbued with Kenosis, often perform a miracle or function of some kind. I Infernals = Infernals are Supernaturals associated with Hell. Opposite of Celestials. Initiated = Ordinary people (non-Adepts) who have been brought into the world of the supernatural. They were either brought in willingly by someone they know who is a Supernatural, or they stumbled across Supernaturals in action and learned of the Adepts and the various unknown creatures of the world the hard way. Initiated who attempt to tell the wider world of the Supernaturals have their reputations "rewritten" by Supernaturals in power in order to discredit the person, a practice which not all Adepts are happy about. J Jacobite = A Jacobite is a very specific type of rebel who believes that their Tribe is being assimilated into a larger or dominating Tribe or culture and wishes to fight for their people's cultural freedom. Scottish Presbyterian Nationalists and Indian Jacobite Churches are the best example of this. The term is mostly found within the Ecclesiastical Orders. K Kenosis = Supernatural power directly from God. L Liberal = Liberal is a political position within the Established Orders of Adepts that pushes for change or progress, either real or imagined, either in certain situations or society at large. Liberal is the opposite of Conservative. Lost Orders = Supposedly 'lost' or 'unknown' Orders of Adepts. They are Adept Order but are not (technically) part of the recognized or Established Orders of Adepts. Some Adepts believe in them, others consider tales of them to be instances of misidentification. Effectively they are Unorthodox Adepts but are common enough to be considered a full-blown and structured Order. Low Orders = An anachronistic term dating back to the medieval period and their ideas of high born and low born peoples; the so-called "Low Orders" are those Adepts who would be considered at the bottom of society by dint of their nature and vocation. Abominations, Barbarians, Bystanders, Corsairs, Fallen, Lepers, Outcasts (big surprise there...), Penitents, Resurrectionists and Witches. These are the Orders who represent the 'social undesirables.' Loyalist Adept = This term basically covers all Adepts who actively serve the Light. Fallen, Marauders, Waywards and other Adepts who are either traitors or morally neutral are not included in this term. M Magick = Supernatural power from anything other than God, technically the opposite of Kenosis. The particular source of power the Magick comes from is called its 'Craft.' The Order most associated with Magick is the Order of Witches. Malpolitical = Someone who intentionally tries to stay out of politics and/or have no particular political opinion. Major Orders = The opposite of the Minor Orders, the Major Orders are the largest Orders. These are the largest Orders historically and make up the largest segment of the Adept population at any given time. All of the Major Orders have some element of Monodominant thought. Materialists = Materialists are Adepts who believe that everything, even God, can in the end be explained using nothing but material explanations. Outside of the Orders of Skeptics or Temple of Reason, they are largely unknown. Mendicant Orders = These are the 'evangelical' Orders, the ones whose nature makes them the best suited for spreading the faith. While the Natural Orders work to reform and the Ruling Orders lead, the Mendicants quietly but fervently work away bringing the masses to the truth of God's existence. They are the Crusaders, Evangelists, Heralds and Prophets. Meta Orders = The Creators and Destroyers are believed to represent the 'Hands Of God,' which are the Powers of Creation and Destruction. Military Orders = The term 'Military Orders' applies to a collection of Orders whose martial nature makes them the natural military wing of the Established Orders. The Archangels, Assassins, Barbarians, Champions, Crusaders, Conquistadors, Corsairs, Firebringers, Gargoyles, Greys, Guardians, Hunters, Infinity (depending on the Names developed), Kings, Paladins, Saviors, Shields, Templars, Thrones, Thule, Zealots and Destroyers are the prestigious members of the Military Orders. Most consider the Destroyers to be especially associated with all things military. Alternately known as the Militant Orders. The Order of Marauders is considered a Military Order by its own members, but the Military Orders themselves reject them as members. Moderate = A political position within the Established Orders of Adepts that advocates balance between extremes. Moderate is the half-way point between Liberal and Conservative. The Order of Grey is probably the biggest example of Moderate Adepts. Minor Orders = This is a term for the smaller Orders whose Aspect of God is unlikely to be encountered by many. Usually the more specialized type of Orders like the Martyrs or Enforcers. In terms of population, they are the opposite of the Major Orders who are the largest of the Adept Orders. The majority of Adept Orders are members of the Minor Orders. Monarchist = Monarchist is a political position among the Orders of Adepts that pushes for some type of monarchy (rule by a designated leader or king). Monarchists in the modern age are found principally in the Order of Kings and other members of the Ruling Orders. Monodominant = The idea that one specific Order is 'better' or 'the best' among all the others. A 'Soft Monodominant' mindset is common to any patriotic Adept, but some Adepts have developed a Hard Monodominancy where they truly believe their order is the best. N Natural Orders = Admittedly a bit of a gray term, the Natural Orders are those Orders of Adepts whose Aspects of God are entirely naturally occurring. That is, even without any Tribes these Orders would still be receiving enough recruits to maintain a viable presence. Neophyte = A young Adept, especially someone who hasn't completed their 40-day mentorship. O Oligarchist = Oligarchy is a political position among the Orders of Adepts that pushes for a form of government based on the merchant middle-class. Oligarchists in earlier time periods may or may not have pushed for a true Oligarchy, although in the modern age most Oligarchists instead believe that democracy is only possible through a strong middle-class to lobby government support. John Locke, if he had been an Adept, would have been a modern Oligarchist. The Order of Seneschals is probably the largest example of Oligarchist Adepts. Order = Normally refers to the Orders of Adepts. An Order is not a mere organization of human beings, it is anyone who has that corresponding Attribute of God imprinted on their soul. Adepts view their Order as more than just a group they've joined, they see it as their vocation in life and their spiritual family. Orders Elite = The Orders Elites are those Orders whose nature is based on them calling out to external forces of power. These 'paradigms' are usually forces like Magick, Angels, Demons, or abstract cosmic-principles like Chaos or Death. Orders of God = Euphemism for all Orders of Adepts, even the ones that currently only exist in potential. P Pacifist = A Pacifist is someone who believes in the teaching of 'turning the other cheek' in the extreme. They will not fight back with violence, even in the face of death. Pacifism doesn't lend itself to the Adepts because as soldiers in God's armies, they by definition must fight the agents of the Darkness. Still, some groups, noticeably the Disciples, Healers, Innocent and Priests, are noted for having strong traditions of pacifism. Obviously the Military Orders have no major tradition of pacifism. Pacifism is heavily debated in Solomon's Porch, with most Adepts either very supportive of it or against it completely. Paradigm = A Paradigm is the sphere of things that a Petitioner Order can call out to or have an affect upon based upon their Order's Aspect. The Order of Infinity has the best Paradigm of all - God Himself. R Raymond Theory = Named after Prof. Charles Raymond, a nineteenth century Scribe who theorized that ancient tales of mythic heroes and pagan gods may have much in of their roots in the activities of Adepts. Raymond wasn't the first to voice this theory, but it was named after him for his extensive work on the subject. Ruling Orders = The 'Ruling Orders' are called that because they are composed of Adepts who by their very nature are designed to take charge and lead in some fashion. The Orders of Enforcers, Fundamentalists, Inquisitors, Judges, Kings, Priests and Seneschals are the Ruling Orders. Just because they are the Ruling Orders doesn't mean they can tell others what to do, only that by popular recognition their members are uniquely suited to leading others. S Scholastic Orders = These Orders have Aspects which give them a reputation for being the brains behind the efforts of the Adept Orders. While being in one doesn't automatically mean you are a genius, it usually means you know how to think and reason your way through things properly. Sect = The terms Sect and Faction are used interchangeably, although strictly speaking a Faction is a special-interest group operating within an Order, where else a Sect is a group of Adepts who have a unique spiritual take on the Order's Aspect and are all now Exemplary Adepts for it. A Sect can almost be thought of as an 'Order within an Order.' Senior Members = The oldest recognized members of the Established Orders, the Senior Members function as the closest thing each Order has to a pan-Order authority system. Senior Members have no exact disciplinary power save being able to influence other members of the Order to reject those they disagree with. More often than not, Senior Members are looked upon as guides due to their greater age and experience and thus are moral leaders whose power stems from the image they set for themselves through their actions. Supernaturals = A catch-all-term for non-Adept supernatural beings. This includes both human and non-human supernatural beings. Supranormal = Supranormal or a Supranormal power is merely a feat or ability accomplished using improvised natural means. All of human technology like computers and cars can be thought of as Supranatural, but because it does not rely on forces beyond our dimension, it is not labelled Supernatural. T Teachings of Gamaliel = "If it is of men, it will die; if it is of God, you will be fighting against God." This is the basic idea behind the Teachings of Gamaliel, a first century Adept of great renown. Many Adepts today think of him as both mystic and lawgiver, and his stance on inter-religious relations is thought of as the wisest policy the Orders have. Theocrats = Theocrat is a political position among the Order of Adepts that pushes for a full-blown theocracy, a government built on and functioning through an organized religion. The medieval period was the high point for Theocrats although some still believe in it even into the modern world. The more extreme elements of the Ecclesiastical Orders is where you will find most Theocrats today. Those Who Will Inherit The Earth = Popular euphemism for the Adepts of God. Tribes = 'Tribe' is a euphemism for one's religious sect or religious heritage. Any group with a belief in a Supreme Being, and thus can produce Adepts, can be one's Tribe. The Established Orders cross all cultural lines, there are both Catholic Healers, Hasidim Healers, Assemblies of God Healers, etc. Adepts hold on to their religious heritage because it is such a part of them, and because most Adepts believe to some extent that their particular Tribe represents some of the maxim of God's revealed truth on earth. U Uninitiated = The Uninitiated are those human beings who are completely unaware of the world of the Supernaturals. Certainly they are unaware of the Orders of Adepts. Unorthodox Adepts = These Adepts, if they exist, are Adepts born from experiencing God under one of His Aspects not listed with the Established Orders. In effect, they are one-man Orders, each alone unto themselves. Also, the Unorthodox are those foreign or alien Adepts often encountered by Infinity Lords as they explore the Omniverse. Usurper = Derogatory term for someone who joins a Chapter or who operates within one with the explicit intent to subvert or change the Chapter's spirit to suit their own purpose. The person in question does not really practice the philosophy of the Chapter and actively seeks to change, remove or add to the dogmatic teachings of the group. V Variant = Another term for an Exemplary Adept. Variants exist as variations in Orders because they progress their powers along a different line of development. They do this because they have a different spirituality based on the Order's Aspect, one that differs from the mainstream. Veil, The Veil = The barrier between the material world and the 'spiritual world.' Veteran = An Adept who has served a Chapter for more than 15 years and has proven his skill and mettle is often awarded this Title. Veterans are awarded several benefits, not least of which is more leeway in 'interpreting' the decisions of the Chapter leaders as well as greater political clout. Vigilante = An Adept who has crossed the line and begun killing human enemies as well as monstrous ones. The Dark Angels are probably the biggest example of Vigilante Adepts. Virtue = The idea or concept upon which an Adept Chapter is founded. W War, The War = Euphemism for the struggle against the Darkness and its agents. Wing = A 'Wing' of a Chapter is a part of a Chapter that has become so independent and well organized that it has the potential to be a Chapter in its own right. Category:Adept Society